Carpet trimming and finishing device

ABSTRACT

A once-over carpet trimming and finishing tool having a base plate with upwardly curved ends and with a handle attached to said base plate. There is a blade holder including a flat horizontal part and a vertical longitudinally elongated guide and a pressure plate at the outer free edge of the horizontal part, said guide and pressure plate having a downwardly opening notch intermediate the ends thereof and extending upwardly to a point adjacent the upper edge of the vertical plate part but spaced downwardly therefrom. The ends of the guide and pressure plate extends below the plane of the base plate and the base plate has a tongue that extends toward the plane and the vertical plate at the deepest or highest part of the notch and is bent slightly downwardly, the tongue being short of the plane of the guide and pressure plate. The edge of the latter plate defining the notch is beveled inwardly. Cutting blades are disposed beneath the horizontal part of the blade holder and extend to the adjacent side of the vertical guide and pressure plate, the cutting blades are oppositely arranged and a carpet may be cut upon movement of the device in either direction.

United States Patent Armijo [111 3,737,932 June 12, 1973 CARPET TRIMMING AND FINISHING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Jimmie Joe Armijo, 14216 Ponseca,

La Mirada, Calif. 90638 [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 221,349

[52] U.S. Cl. 7/l4.l, 30/293 [51] Int.-Cl B26b 3/08, B26b ll/OO [58] Field ofSearch 30/287, 289, 293,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,772,474 12/1956 Hill 30/293 3,395,453 8/1968 Prater 3,363,314 l/l968 OBrien..... 3,538,523 11/1970 Sparks 3,546,726 12/1970 Bizzigotti 7/l4.1

Primary Examiner-Grenville Y. Custer, .lr. Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters Attorney-J. Carroll Baisch [57] ABSTRACT A once-over carpet trimming and finishing tool having a base plate with upwardly curved ends and with a handle attached to said base plate. There is a blade holder including a flat horizontal part and a vertical longitudinally elongated guide and a pressure plate at the outer free edge of the horizontal part, said guide and pressure plate having .a downwardly opening notch intermediate the ends thereof and extending upwardly to a point adjacent the upper edge of the vertical plate part but spaced downwardly therefrom. The ends of the guide and pressure plate extends below the plane of the base plate and the base plate has a tongue that extends towards the plane and the vertical plate at the deepest or highest part of the notch and is bent slightly downwardly, the tongue being short of the plane of the guide and pressure plate. The edge of the latter plate defining the notch is beveled inwardly. Cutting blades are disposed beneath the horizontal part of the blade holder and extend to the adjacent side of the vertical guide and pressure plate, the cutting blades are oppositely arranged and a carpet may be cut upon movement of the device in either direction.

'10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to hand tools for trimming and installing or finishing carpets.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art of which I am aware has a base plate and a handle attached thereto. There is a blade holder having horizontal part and a vertical part at the free outer edge of said horizontal plate. Blades are arranged for cutting in either direction.

With this tool, it is necessary to go around the carpet twice in order to cut and finish laying the carpet and consequently, there is a great deal of time consumed and energy expended in trimming and finishing carpets with this device. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a once-over carpet trimming and finishing tool having a base plate with upwardly curved ends and with a handle attached to said base plate and a blade holder including a flat horizontal part and a vertical longitudinally elongated guide and pressure plate at the outer free edge of the horizontal part, said guide and pressure plate having a downwardly opening notch intermediate the ends thereof and extending upwardly to a point adjacent the upper edge of the vertical plate part spaced downwardly therefrom. The ends of the guide and pressure plate extends below the plane of the base plate and the base plate has a tongue that extends toward the plane and the vertical plate at the deepest or highest part of the notch and is bent slightly downwardly, the tongue being short of the plane of the guide and pressure plate. The edge of the latter plate defining the notch is beveled inwardly and the ends of the guide and pressure plate are rounded.

Cutting blades are disposed beneath the horizontal part of the blade holder and extend to the adjacent side of the vertical guide and pressure plate. The cutting blades are oppositely arranged and a carpet may be cut upon movement of the device in either direction.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a carpet trimming and finishing device that requires going around the carpet only once.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of this character that will cut the time for trimming and finishing approximately in half.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means for keeping the carpet in place as it is being cut.

It is further object of the invention to providea device of this character that will tuck the carpet down in place as it is being cut.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings which represent certain embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom elevational view of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODYMENT Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a carpet trimming and finishing device embodying the present invention. The device comprises a base plate 10, the ends of which are curved upwardly as at 12 so that the base plate will slide easily over a carpet, indicated generally at 14, FIG. 2 as the base plate is moved longitudinally in operation.

At one longitudinal edge portion, there is a handle 16 secured to the base plate by screws 18 or the like which extend through openings provided therefore in the base plate. This handle may be of any suitable shape but is shown as being generally oval with a central portion open, as indicated at 20, whereby the top part of the handle may be readily grasped by the hand of the operator.

On the base plate and along the side opposite the handle, there are a plurality of spacers 24 being stacked on top of each other and are disposed on screws 26, the lower end of said screws being welded or otherwise suitably secured to the base plate, there being locking nuts 28 on the upper ends of said screws.

A blade holder, indicated generally at 30, includes a horizontal blade holding plate 32, provided with openings therein, not shown. The horizontal blade holding plate 32 is operably disposed on the screws 26 which extend through said openings.

The horizontal blade holding plate has an upturned flange 34 extending along its outer longitudinal edge and secured thereto by any suitable means such as for example spot welding, brazing or the like, is a vertical guide and pressure plate 36 which extends longitudinally of the device. The guide and pressure plate extends downwardly below the base plate as shown in FIGS. '1 and 2. This guide and pressure plate 36 has a notch 38 intermediate its ends, said notch openings are facing downwardly with its highest point 40 adjacent the upper edge of the guide and pressure plate but spaced downwardly therefrom. The notch is somewhat greater in length than has the length of the guide and pressure plate and the free edge of the notch is beveled inwardly as at 42. The end parts 44 of the guide and pressure plate longitudinally beyond the notch and said parts are rounded so as to slide easily over the carpet as it is being trimmed.

The adjacent edge or side of the base plate has a tongue 46 which extends toward the plane of the guide and pressure plate at the deepest part of the notch 38, but, is just short of said plane, it being noted that the tongue 46 is bent slightly downwardly.

A pair of oppositely arranged cutter blades 50 are disposed beneath the horizontal part 32 of the blade holding plate and are angularly arranged so that the path of movement to more effectively cut or trim the carpet.

It is to be noted that there is a downwardly formed ridge 54 extending longitudinally of the horizontal part 32 of the blade holder, said ridge extends longitudinally of the device and is beyond but adjacent to the inner ends of the blade 50 to thereby space the horizontal part 32 for proper accommodation of the blades.

On top of the horizontal part 32, the blade holder, there is disposed a spacer 56 and on top of this spacer, there is a cover plate 58. The spacer 56 and the cover plate 58 have openings therein whereby they may be disposed on the screws 26 and the entire assembly is secured together by the locking nuts 28.

It is to be notedthat the outer ends of the blades 50 extend across the space between the flange 34 and the adjacent longitudinal edge 60 of thebase plate and are disposed against the adjacent part of the guide and pressure plate. Just below the outer ends of the blades, are lugs 62, the outer ends of said blade being disposed above said lugs. Thus, the outer ends of the blades are securely held anchored against distortion.

In using the device, the edge of the carpet to be trimmed is disposed in the space between the guide and pressure plate and the edge 60 of the base plate. As the device is moved along the edge of the carpet, it is cut or trimmed and the trimmed edge portion is pressed downwardly at the notch 38 by the tongue 46 so that the trimmed edge is in the exact position at the base shoe 66 of the room. Should there not be a base shoe about the room, the edge of the carpet will be positioned closely adjacent to or against the baseboard 68.

It is to be noted that functionally, the tongue 46 is be hind the blade trimming or cutting the carpet regardless of which direction the tool is being moved. As the tool is moved along, and the carpet edge is trimmed and pressed down by the tongue 46, the lower edges of the vertical guide and pressure plate presses the carpet edge downwardly'in position.

With this tool, the operator trims and finishes the carpet with one trip around the room; thus, cutting the trimming and finishing time in half since trimming and finishing tools heretofor have required the operator to make two trips around the room to complete the job. In other words, with the old type of tool, the carpet is cut and then the operator must go around the entire room again and press the edge down.

With the present device, the tongue 46 keeps the carpet in place and the guide and pressure plate tucks it down at the same time.

Adjustments for carpets of various thicknesses are made by varying the number of spacers 24. Also, the openings in the horizontal part 32 of the blade holder may be elongated transversely for adjusting the distance of the vertical guide and pressure plate from the adjacent edge of the base plate in accordance with the thickness of the carpet being laid.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof or sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbefore described being merely by way of example, and I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

l. A carpet trimming and finishing tool, comprising:

a base plate;

a blade holder having a flat horizontal part and a vertical guide and pressure plate;

spacer means for spacing said horizontal part of the blade holder above the base plate and substantially parallel thereto;

means for securing said blade holder and spacer means to said base plate;

said vertical guide and pressure plate being spaced from the adjacent longitudinal edge of the base plate and substantially parallel thereto, said vertical guide and pressure plate having a notch intermediate its ends extending upwardly from the lower edge with the widest part at the bottom, the ends of said pressure plate being rounded, a lower portion of said guide and pressure plate extending downwardly of the plane of the base plate;

at least one cutting blade secured by the horizontal part of the blade holder and extending across the space between the spacers and base plate and the guide and pressure plate;

and a tongue extending from the edge of the base plate adjacent the vertical guide and pressure plate and toward the notch, the free end of such tongue being adjacent the plane of said guide and pressure plate.

2. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein the free end of the tongue is spaced inwardly from the plane of said guide and pressure plate.

3. The invention defined by claim 2, including a handle attached to the base plate.

4. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the ends of the base plate are curved upwardly and outwardly.

5. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein the tongue is bent slightly downwardly.

6. The invention defined by claim 4, including means for holding the free end of the cutting blade against displacement.

7. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein there are two cutting blades and means for holding the free ends of said cutting blades against displacement.

8. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the tongue extends toward the guide and pressure plate at the deepest part of the notch therein.

9. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein the tongue is bent slightly downwardly, and including oppositely arranged cutting blades secured by the horizontal part of the blade holder, means holding the free ends of the cutting blades against displacement, and the tongue is positioned adjacent the deepest part of the notch in the guide and pressure plate.

10. The invention defined by claim 9, wherein the edge defining the notch in the guide and pressure plate is beveled inwardly. 

1. A carpet trimming and finishing tool, comprising: a base plate; a blade holder having a flat horizontal part and a vertical guide and pressure plate; spacer means for spacing said horizontal part of the blade holder above the base plate and substantially parallel thereto; means for securing said blade holder and spacer means to said base plate; said vertical guide and pressure plate being spaced from the adjacent longitudinal edge of the base plate and substantially parallel thereto, said vertical guide and pressure plate having a notch intermediate its ends extending upwardly from the lower edge with tHe widest part at the bottom, the ends of said pressure plate being rounded, a lower portion of said guide and pressure plate extending downwardly of the plane of the base plate; at least one cutting blade secured by the horizontal part of the blade holder and extending across the space between the spacers and base plate and the guide and pressure plate; and a tongue extending from the edge of the base plate adjacent the vertical guide and pressure plate and toward the notch, the free end of such tongue being adjacent the plane of said guide and pressure plate.
 2. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein the free end of the tongue is spaced inwardly from the plane of said guide and pressure plate.
 3. The invention defined by claim 2, including a handle attached to the base plate.
 4. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the ends of the base plate are curved upwardly and outwardly.
 5. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein the tongue is bent slightly downwardly.
 6. The invention defined by claim 4, including means for holding the free end of the cutting blade against displacement.
 7. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein there are two cutting blades and means for holding the free ends of said cutting blades against displacement.
 8. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the tongue extends toward the guide and pressure plate at the deepest part of the notch therein.
 9. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein the tongue is bent slightly downwardly, and including oppositely arranged cutting blades secured by the horizontal part of the blade holder, means holding the free ends of the cutting blades against displacement, and the tongue is positioned adjacent the deepest part of the notch in the guide and pressure plate.
 10. The invention defined by claim 9, wherein the edge defining the notch in the guide and pressure plate is beveled inwardly. 